Alcoholic beverages are well-established as risk-factors for cancer at several sites, but it is not certain to what extent the increased risk is attributable directly to the ethanol content of these beverages, or to possible contaminants or congeners. A population-based epidemiologic case-control study is being conducted to evaluate the relative carcinogenicity of various alcoholic beverages, comparing clear liquors (vodka, gin, light rum), which have few contaminants or congeners, with smoky liquors (whiskies, dark rum), beer, red wine, and white wine. The study design includes patients with laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer, and population controls. Case ascertainment was arranged directly with otolaryngologists in the Boston area. Controls were selected in a ratio of two controls per case; subjects were collected over 48 months. One thousand and two hundred subjects were interviewed, of whom 400 were newly diagnosed patients with laryngeal or hypopharyngeal cancer. During the final year of the project the data will be analyzed to evaluate the carcinogenicity of various alcoholic beverages, while controlling for the effect of tobacco use. The effect of alcohol-containing mouthwashes and gargles will also be studied.